The present invention relates to snowshoes. It is particularly directed to a snowshoe with notably improved ease in walking in the snowshoes, as well as reduced slipping over a wide variety of types of snow.
Snowshoes are a mode of transportation that has been known for many years. They have been used for several centuries by Scandinavian populations for mobility in snow. Previously, snowshoes have been used for utilitarian or military purposes to permit civilians or alpine troops to travel on snow for the activities necessitated by daily life. Currently, snowshoes are more commonly used by athletes for outings and hiking and even for competition. But, athletes, even who practice for pleasure, are more and more exacting about the equipment that they use. It is true that the currently sold products are not completely satisfactory.
Also, the snowshoes must combine the criteria of traction and floatation all while preserving maximum comfort for their users. Besides, depending on which of various types of snow is encountered, the floatation, traction, and other characteristics of the snowshoe needed for an agreeable outing can prove different. Likewise, according to which of the various terrains are encountered, the general form of the snowshoe best adapted to it can be equally different. Accordingly, each snowshoe is generally configured for selected snow conditions and terrain conditions and often performs less well under other conditions.
The requirement of traction is a major criteria for snow shoes. The snowshoes of the prior art have shortcomings. On certain types of snow, they fail to grip, notably in the longitudinal and traverse directions.
The present application seeks to remedy these shortcomings, simply, inexpensively, and effectively. One open object of the present snowshoes is to improve traction on one and all kinds of snow and to increase the ease of walking for the user.
According to a principle characteristic, the present snowshoes include a peripheral frame surrounding an interior deck or lacings on which a binding is disposed for retaining the boot of the user. The snowshoe is provided with longitudinal traction members depending vertically below a horizontal plane of the deck. It is characterized in that a portion of at least one of the longitudinal traction members is reduced in height in a central zone situated longitudinally to the region occupied by the boot of the user. The height is reduced in comparison to the portion before and the portion after the aforesaid central zone.
According to another characteristic of the snowshoe, it includes two longitudinal traction members disposed laterally and forming the peripheral frame. That is, the lateral edges of the frame each shrink in height in the central zone, respectively.
According to a complementary characteristic, the reduced height of the lateral edges of the peripheral frame are disposed symmetrically in comparison to a central, longitudinal plane of the snowshoe.
Then again, according to a preferred embodiment of the present snowshoe, it includes at least one longitudinal traction member depending from the deck inward from the edge of the peripheral frame. The interior traction member has a least one reduced height region in its central zone.
According to a preferred embodiment of the snowshoe, each interior traction member is symmetric relative to the central longitudinal plane and has two regions of reduced height separated by a region of enlarged or full height.
According to one complementary characteristic of the present snowshoe, the reduced height portions of the interior longitudinal traction members are offset longitudinally relative to the position of the reduced height portions of the lateral frame traction members.
According to an alternate embodiment of the present snowshoe, the position of the enlarged height portions of the interior traction members is offset longitudinally toward the front of the snowshoe relative to the reduced height portions of the lateral traction members.
According to a complementary characteristic of the present snowshoe, the reduction in height is attained in a varying manor longitudinally relative to a horizontal plane of the deck. The lower edge surface of the longitudinal traction members varies along linear slopes and/or curved segments.
According to another characteristic of the present snowshoe, a ratio between the height of the reduced height portion and a maximum height of the traction member, measured to the front or the rear is between 0.1 and 0.9.